Annual Film Festivals
Winter
Scandinavian Film Festival
Jan 6-21. Writers Guild Theater. "Top films from the top of Europe," back for its 19th year.
LA Dance Film Festival
Jan 25. Los Feliz 3 Theatre. Features filmmakers from around the world exploring different genres of film that utilize dance as the main storytelling component.
The Hollywood Reel Independent Film Festival
Feb 7-27. Multiple venues, including Arclight Hollywood. New feature films, documentaries, shorts and videos by filmmakers who possess an independent vision and create innovative work outside the studio system.
The Pan African Film Festival
Feb 8-19. Cinemark Baldwin Hills. Showcases the broad spectrum of Black creative works.
DocuDay
Feb 25. Writers Guild Theater. Features award-nominated feature and short documentaries with back-to-back screenings all day.
Los Angeles Italia Film, Fashion and Art Fest
Feb 25-Mar 3. TCL Chinese 6 Theatres. One full week of celebration for the Italian excellences in cinmena, music, fashion and style.
Spring
Indian Film Festival Los Angeles
April 11-15. Regal L.A. LIVE: A Barco Innovation Center. Showcasing films, supporting emerging filmmakers, and promoting the diverse perspectives of the Indian diaspora. www.indianfilmfestival.org
City of Lights - City of Los Angeles French Film Festival
(COLCOA)
April 23-April 30. Directors Guild of America. The 21st Annual festival will have an exclusive program of 70+ French Films this year. www.colcoa.org
TCM Classic Film Festival
April 26 - 29. Various locations. Where movie lovers from around the world can gather to experience classic movies as they were meant to be experienced: on the big screen, in some of the world's most iconic venues, with the people who made them.
Apr 26-May 3 at multiple venues in Newport Beach. Orange County's largest entertainment event. www.newportbeachfilmfest.com
May 3-12 at multiple venues. Since 1983, the LAAP Film Fest has presented nearly 4,000 films, videos and digital media works by Asian international and Asian Pacific American artists. www.festival.vconline.org/2018/
Summer
Outfest
Jul 12-22 at various venues, including the Ford Theatre. The oldest film festival in Los Angeles and the preeminent LGBTQ film festival in the world.
Love International Film Festival
Jul 24-27. Ahrya Fine Arts Theatre, Beverly Hills. Focus on films and filmmakers from the international community whose work we feel brings the world closer together and promotes love and healing through cinema.
Hollyshorts Film Festival
Aug 9-18. TCL Chinese 6 Theatres. Showcases the best and brightest short films from around the globe. Devoted to the advancement of filmmakers through screenings, Q&A sessions and networking events. Monthly screenings at the TCL Chinese 6.
5th Annual Long Beach Indie International Film Festival
Aug 29 - Sep 2. Cinemark at the Pike Theaters. More than just a film festival, the three-day event celebrates diversity in film, music, and media.
Cinecon 54 Classic Film Festival
Aug 30 -Sep 3. The Egyptian Theatre. Features rare, unusual and unjustly forgotten movies from the silent and early sound era with celebrity guests and film, book, and movie memorabilia shows. Silent films include live piano accompaniment.
Burbank International Film Festival
Sep 5-9. AMC 16 Theater, Burbank. Over 100 films from 31 countries, 25 world premieres, 22 award categories and opening and closing night screenings.
Los Angeles Lift Off Film Festival
Sept 10-14. Raleigh Studios. Celebration of American and International Indie Film - a homage to the excellence of today's grassroots filmmaker. www.lift-off-festival.com
LA Film Festival
Sep 20-28. Arclight Cinemas. Showcases compelling independent films, TV and episodic working from emerging storytellers.
Fall
Beyond Fest
Sep 26-Oct 9. Egyptian Theatre. Cronenberg with Cronenberg: A Retrospective of the New Flesh with legendary auteur David Cronenberg in attendance.
5th Annual Highland Park Independent Film Festival
Oct 4-7. Historic Highland Theatre 5604 N Figueroa. Screenings, red carpet events, industry mixers, and panel discussions with film professionals.
ScreamFest Horror Film Festival
Oct 9-18. TCL Chinese 6 Theatres. The largest and longest running horror film festival in the U.S. Discovering the new blood of horror and honoring the masters.
14th Annual La Femme International Film Festival
Oct 11-14. Regal Cinemas @ LA Live Stadium 14. Celebrating, supporting and advancing content creation by women producers, writers, and directors from around the world.
10th Annual Downtown Film Festival LA.
Oct 17-21 Regal L.A. Live Stadium 14. Features, documentary & short films, an exhibition of award-wining digital shorts, workshops on film finance, distribution & music supervision, & showcases.
19th Annual Polish Film Festival Los Angeles
Oct 17-25. Laemmle's NoHo and Royal Theatres. Presentation of films made by Polish filmmakers with English subtitles. Opportunities to meet with the filmmakers and actors.
German Currents 12th Annual Festival of German Film
Oct 19-22. Egyptian Theater. A varied selection of present-day German cinema includes features, documentary, and short films, as well as a family youth film.
Animation is Film Festival
Oct 19-21. TCL Chinese Theater. Ahighly selective showcase of the best animated films from around the world, plus red carpet, filmmaker Q&As, special events, receptions, short film programs, VR Lounge, and both juried and audience awards.
4th Annual Asian World Film Festival
Oct 24-Nov 1. Arclight Culver City. Considered the window to Asian world cinema, the film festival champions films from more than 50 countries across Asia, spanning from the eastern shores of the Mediterranean to Japan, and from Russia to China & India.
18th Annual Valley Film Festival
Oct 31-Nov 4. Laemmle NoHo7. Furthering the education, production and distribution of filmmaking in the San Fernando Valley.
American Film Market
Oct 31- Nov 7. AMC Santa Monica, Arclight Santa Monica, Broadway Cineplex, and Laemmle Monica Film Center. The film industry's largest international conference features over 500 screenings and premieres, plus conferences, writer's workshops, roundtables, and more.
The Los Angeles Chinese Film Festival
Nov 1 - 4. Downtown Independent. The Los Angeles Chinese Film Festival aims to uncover and promote excellence in Chinese language and culture-focused films, and to foster cultural exchange through screenings and other other activities.
Pembroke Taparelli Arts and Film Festival.
Nov 1-4. L.A. Live Regal Theaters. Four day festival that focuses on health and environmental injustice
21st Annual Arpa International Film Festival
Nov 2- 4. Egyptian Theatre. The festival's mission is to cultivate cultural understanding and global empathy by creating a dynamic forum for international cinema. Three days of screenings of thought provoking films from many countries; plus music and food on select nights.
Red Nation Film Festival
Nov 5-16. Laemmle Ahrya Fine Arts Theatre. Dedicated to the authentic voice of American Indian & Indigenous cinema.
32nd Israel Film Festival
Nov 6-20. Steve Tisch Cinema Center, Saban Theatre, Laemmle Ahrya Fine Arts Theatre, Laemmle Town Center, Encino. Devoted to shining a spotlight on Israel's thriving film and television industry.
32nd Annual AFI Fest
Nov 8-15. TCL Chinese Theatre, Egyptian Theatre, and the Hollywood Roosevelt. International cinema from modern masters and emerging filmmakers. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences recognizes AFI FEST as a qualifying festival for the Live Action and Animated Short Film categories for the annual Academy Awards®. Free!
6th Annual Studio City Film Festival
Nov 9-15. Laemmle NoHo7. Presenting the best in provocative and/or informative entertainment.
LA Live Film Festival & Rising Above Fest
Nov 10. Regal Cinemas L.A. Live. Two festivals with one mission: to insure all filmmakers are treated with respect and give opportunities for empowerment. www.filmfestlalive.com